What do scientific collections reveal about the past of the Amazon? Identifying bryophytes collected during an expedition to the Alto Rio Negro more than 50 years ago

Resumen

Abstract This study reports bryophyte species recorded during the 1979 expedition to the Alto Rio Negro region, as part of the CNPq/INPA Flora Program. Brazilian and North American researchers, guided by local residents, collected 760 bryophyte samples from Serra Curicuriari, Serra Jacamim, Morro Ximaio, and Morro dos Seis Lagos, in the municipality of São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Amazonas state. The samples collected by Olga Yano are deposited at the SP Herbarium and have only recently been studied, more than 50 years after collection, revealing 256 species, 101 genera, and 32 families. The species list includes eight endemic species, two of which were previously known only from their type material, while others show restricted distributions, representing unique records from high-altitude environments or along river margins. Studies like this highlight the importance of revising herbarium specimens, revealing the scientific value of historical collections and expanding knowledge of Amazonian flora.